Four Grand Valley faculty members have been awarded a grant to explore potential conflicts with locating wind power facilities in coastal areas of Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan counties. ...The findings of the study, expected to be complete in May 2011, will be available to government representatives, environmental advocates, business groups and residents.

A public hearing scheduled for tonight to discuss Consumers Energy's requested amendments to the Mason County Zoning Ordinance is canceled. Consumers Energy was requesting changes to wind ordinances. Dennis Marvin and Dan Bishop of Consumers Energy said the hearing was canceled after the company withdrew one of two requested amendments.

Local supporters of expanding renewable energy resources in Leelanau County - including officials of the National Park Service - say they're concerned about the implications of a study released last month by the state's newly-established Wind Energy Resource Zone Board. The study names portions of northwestern Lower Michigan - including almost all of Leelanau County - as ideal for the development of massive windmill "farms".

During a meeting of the Huron County wind turbine subcommittee Thursday, the board consulted Dr. Russell Bush, medical director for Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac and Tuscola counties. ..."There's no definitive cause and effect relationship that is scientifically connected to there being a definitive human health issue," he said. "In saying that, there's nothing that says there isn't."

People who live near some of the 46 turbines at a wind park in Bingham and Sheridan townships are now complaining about ongoing noise and rumble from the 300-foot-tall renewable energy generators. "You can't go outside and have a nice, peaceful quiet night anymore," said Curt Watchowski, 42, who lives about 1,500 feet from two turbines on Purdy Road.

Bear Creek Township planning commissioners noted Wednesday that they're still awaiting some needed details to use in considering a proposal for a commercial wind turbine generator. "No new information has been provided," said commission chairman Tom Urman.

While some expressed support for the Lake Township Planning Board's wind ordinance draft discussed during a public hearing Wednesday, others felt the proposed regulations are too restrictive. ..."Lake Township needs to be protected," said Lake Township resident Charlie Henry. " ... I'm in favor of the ordinance ... and I would like to see it supported." Numerous public comment was given during the planning board's more than three-hour long public hearing.

Huron County commissioners decided Tuesday to conduct a noise study of the Michigan Wind 1 development that's independent of one that will be conducted later this summer by John Deere Wind Energy. Commissioner Dave Peruski said an independent study on the existing turbines near Ubly will provide more evidence on what effects the park may be having on nearby neighbors.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm took to a conference stage this past week to sell a national audience on her vision of a green Michigan - a state whose natural resources, work force and empty factories can attract alternative energy jobs. ...Energy experts and executives at the same conference say it's a green gamble for Michigan or any state to take, and time is not on their side. They argue the federal government is creating unrealistic expectations.

There were windmill-shaped cookies offered as snacks at the Tustin Library last night, but citizens were really hungry for facts about what it was like to have a wind turbine as a neighbor. The meeting was sponsored by a group of landowners and citizens interested in the possibility of wind turbine power in Sherman Township.

Officials said the subcommittee recently formed to address a series of noise complaints the county has received regarding the Michigan Wind 1 development in Ubly will meet every Thursday. ...Damrow said Huron County Environmental Health Director Dale Lipar also was extended an invitation to participate in the subcommittee because this issue has to do with public health concerns raised by the residents who submitted the noise complaints.

Monroe has high hopes of becoming a big player in the nation's wind-energy boom someday because of a parts manufacturer that has agreed to build a $19 million factory there. But the greater Monroe area and others along western Lake Erie face an obstacle to hosting a large number of the commercial or utility-scale wind turbines.

After receiving several letters of complaints from Huron County residents over the last several months regarding the effects wind turbines are having on their lives, the county is taking steps to properly address the issues. Advertisement At last week's Huron County Planning Commission meeting it was announced that a committee will be formed that will include commissioners David Peruski and Kurt Damrow, as well as three members from the Planning Commission.

There was standing room only at Wednesday's Huron County Planning Commission meeting, where officials discussed plans to address a series of noise complaints the county has received in recent months regarding the Michigan Wind 1 development in Ubly. Huron County Building and Zoning Director Russ Lundberg said the county has received a total of four complaints that cite problems residents have experienced as a result of the Michigan Wind 1 development in Ubly.

After receiving another letter from residents who say wind turbines near their Ubly-area home are creating noise disturbances, county officials said they still are in the process of developing a way to respond to complaints received following a wind park's construction. "We thought it would be, as we were told from the beginning of the turbine project, 'no louder than a clothes dryer. ...Now we realize that no one wants to stand right next to a running clothes dryer 24 hours a day. This is the reality of it."

Although no specific project plans have been officially presented by BP Alternative Energy, the results from a 5-year-old wind-test tower on a township farm and a recent push in West Michigan and around the state to develop wind energy eventually could lead to construction of a 100-megawatt farm in northern Muskegon County and southern Oceana County.

A drafted wind ordinance that's been in the works for more than a year was unveiled Wednesday during a local planning board meeting. But whether all provisions included in the draft will be adopted remains to be seen, as some of the conditions in the proposed ordinance may be interpreted as too restrictive. "We are disappointed with what we heard at the Lake Township Planning Commission meeting regarding the draft wind turbine zoning ordinance," said Matt Wagner, DTE Energy wind site development manager, in an e-mail Friday morning. "While we haven't had the opportunity to review the document in its entirety, it appears that the draft ordinance would make it difficult - if not impossible - to site commercial wind turbines anywhere in the township."

A company which received state and local tax breaks late last year for purchasing equipment to manufacture high quality casting for the wind turbine industry, has shut down its Rothbury plant indefinitely.

When Otsego County passed an ordinance three years ago regulating the use of wind turbine generators (WTG), the focus was primarily on the commercial or industrial-sized generators ...Otsego County Planning Commission member Mike Mang said a recently formed sub-committee was specifically charged with looking at the use of private, small WTGs.

"I'd like to see us not charge people extra just to do green things," said Carruthers, who's also a city commissioner. "We're becoming more sustainable and more green in energy production at Light & Power, so let's just have everybody pay the same rate and do progressive things." The Light & Power board this week canceled the special rate program. But its demise won't mean higher rates for all customers, utility officials said. ...Ten commercial businesses and 73 residences paid green rates, generating about $6,500 a year.